The 2018 & 82nd US Masters is nearly upon us ad I just thought id start a thread so that we can throw our picks down and hopefully find the winner... This years tournament looks a very open one and if anything is looking like this years event could well produce some great drama, something that we always seem to get here at Augusta. The leading players are all looking for a bit of form, but that dosnt make the bookies lengthen their odds too much, and there are a few players who havnt won at the course before carrying loads of form into this weekends event... I don't usually play on anything less than 20-25/1 in any golf tournament, and this one will be no different. So here are some of my thoughts for the first Major of the year... Not that I don't like any of the top players, but I'm not having Rory @ 11/. Speith, as good as his record here at the course, 2nd, 1st, 2nd & 11th seems to make sense to have a bet on him but he's not in great shape at the moment and again 10/1 is poor. Justin Rose is another who I just think will miss out on the top slot once again and maybe last years defeat to Sergio will be the closest he will get. And what can we say about Tiger that's not allredy been said other than that I do not see him wining this years event either. He is still too erratic off the tea, plus I'm not sure his lose game is up to the tip top standard needed here at the moment. But the funny thing in sort of writing the top players off, not totally mind, is that IF they come back to their best form and win it then you look a bit of a fool. But each and every one of them, no matter what I think of them are ALL short in the market for me to bother with... The usual things stand out with playing the Masters and course knowledge is one of them. For that reason I have gone with Hideki Matsuyama, who at 30/1 one carries form of 11th, 7th & 5th in his last three visits, and that's good enough for me to have a bit of him... Brian Harman is one player who I have stuck with in the past and I'm having a slice of the 80/1 on him as I think that he will be good value to plot his way around this tough course. Seven top 10's this year see's him playing consistently good golf and I'm just a fan of his playing style in the end, so he's in... Another player that I have followed in the past is Ryan Moore, and I think that he has improved a little from a couple of years ago when touted to be one of the next big things. He broke some of Tiger's college & junior records before turning Pro but has yet to match that early potential in the big tournaments so far. Finished 9th last year following on from a MC and T12th the year before, I just think that at 90/1 he is a great e/w way chance... As I said earlier on, this could well go to one of the big boys at the top of the market but I do think that this years event will throw up some big named priced players. It's just finding them... Hideki Matsuyama @ 30/1... Brian Harman @ 80/1... Ryan Moore @ 90/1... All done in a £2.50 e/w bet on PadPow, playing top 8 places... Good luck to all who have a play on the event...
Backed 3, one main fancy and two outsiders for places. Jason Day - 18/1 Rafa Cabrera Bello - 100/1 Russel Henley - 110/1 Day is obviously in with a great shout, Cabrera Bello is pretty steady and great with the putter, and Henley, I had to back a yank, backed him last weekend in the Houston and he had a cracking final round shooting 7 under, which got him in a tie for 8th. Unfortunately I backed him E/W 1-7 places
Xander Schaufelle 66/1 this is my main fancy others are a bit silly. Martin Kaymer 150/1 Vijay Singh 500/1 And of course coz I'm a silly sentimental bugger so The Tiger 12/1 All ew 10 places Skybet
Watching Jack Nicklaus (78), Gary Player (82) and the kid Tom Watson (68) playing the par comp. What class acts. I bet there's a few $ sidebet on the outcome.
Only a bit of fun for the main competitors but what a marvellous spectacle that was watching those 3 legends on the pitch and putt. Watson won, Nicklaus tied 4th and Player a fairly shabby tied 10th. And just to add to the theatre Nicklaus' grandson has a whack on the last and holes in one. Extremely modest ew bets on Thomas Pieters @ 66s and Xander Schauffele @ 80s in the main event.
Spieth for me! His approach play will win him the tournament and his record round here is outstanding!
Going for a speculative bet on Kevin Chapell, could have the game for Augusta been around twice and made the cut, needs to sort his putting out but could be in for an ew shout. Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
I have backed Paul Casey 25s and Matt Kuchar 66s A sentimental score on Tiger to complete the fairytale!
I've put an EW on Paul Casey (22s, I got). For the past few years, I've been counting on Keegan Bradley recreating his PGA 2011 form but I notice he wasn't even quoted in my bookies - I think the rule change about belly putters might've been the end of him.
Spieth is just unplayable and unbeatable when he plays like this, could have been -7 too. Will take some stopping, early days but he rarely relents when he hits the front